One of the biggest challenges facing Kenyan farmers is access to capital to run their agricultural operations smoothly. Fortunately, there are many opportunities that offer financial backing and other valuable resources to boost your farming projects. From international funding to government support and commercial bank loans, here are the available agricultural grants and resources in Kenya.
Kua Ventures Growth Financing
Kua Ventures provides funding support to impact-driven businesses in value-added agriculture, essential goods & distribution, and production of goods. To qualify, your venture must be profitable, values-driven, and built for long-term success.
Additionally, the business must have an annual revenue of at least $250,000, be registered in Kenya, and have been in operation for at least four years. Businesses that are partnerships or sole proprietorships aren’t eligible to apply.
- Funding amount: $100,000–US$500,000
Related post: 10 Funding Opportunities for Women-Led Businesses and Nonprofits
Social Enterprise Fund for Agriculture in Africa (SEFAA)
The purpose of the SEFAA impact-first fund is to help create a more favourable business ecosystem for Sub-Saharan Africa’s smallholder farmers (SHFs). It improves productivity by providing financial backing to eligible Social Agricultural Enterprises (SAEs). The money is intended to create a sustainable impact through increased income and job opportunities.
- Funding amount: US$300,000–US$2.4 million to SAEs or intermediaries that work to enhance productivity, improve market access, and provide agricultural funding to SAEs.
- Deadline: 30 September 2026
National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP)
Funded by the World Bank, NAVCDP is one of the resources the Kenyan Government has allocated to boost the agricultural sector. The project supports farmers across a wide range of value chains, from dairy to horticulture. It does this by increasing access to markets and funding, promoting value addition, and investing in sustainable agricultural interventions through:
- Enterprise Development Grants: up to KSh10 million is disbursed to registered Farmer-Producer Organisations (FPOs) and co-operatives to support value-addition infrastructure, including processing systems, packaging units, cold chain infrastructure, quality control and testing technologies.
- Value Chain Upgrading Matching Grants: up to KSh20 million per eligible FPO, but the organisation must contribute 20-30% of the total agricultural cost, and then NAVCDP covers the rest (70-80%). If you want to learn how matching grant funding works, read our guide here.
Note: This is an ongoing funding opportunity, with specific grant calls issued through project/county structures.
Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) Fund
The DIV fund is designed to support evidence-based innovation across all sectors, including agriculture and other development areas. The funding is provided in three tiers:
- Pilot. Grants of up to $200,000 for new ideas that are to be tested in the real world for the first time, to see if people are interested in them.
- Testing. Grants of up to $500,000 for rigorous testing of an idea that has passed the pilot stage and has proven that it can work.
- Large-scale expansion. Grants of up to $5,000,000 to boost the proven solutions so they can produce the greatest impact.
In addition to financial support, DIV offers consulting and advisory services to successful applicants to help them run their projects successfully. It also offers technical assistance to governments and philanthropic organisations so they can learn how to build better systems.
Related post: How Long Does the Grant Application Process Typically Take?
AgriFI Agricultural Investment Facility
AgriFi is an EU-funded initiative designed to invest in smallholder farmers and/or agri-MSMEs. Managed by the EDFI Management Company, the funding is intended to increase productivity at affordable rates and maximise profitability. This should, in turn, create job opportunities, improve food security, and promote sustainable environmental and social practices.
- Funding amount: €500,000 to €5,000,000
Africa Rural Climate Adaptation Finance Mechanism (ARCAFIM)
In response to a significant decline in climate finance, the United Nations’ International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) launched ARCAFIM as a funding mechanism to boost small-scale farmers in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda, making it easier for them to adapt to climate change.
The programme’s goal is to alleviate poverty and hunger in Eastern Africa by making agriculture more profitable and sustainable, while improving rural areas’ capacity to thrive amid climate and economic uncertainties.
Financing is made available exclusively through Equity Bank, in partnership with participating SACCOs and Microfinance Institutions (MFIs).
AgDevCo Ventures
AgDevCo Ventures invests in growth-stage agribusinesses across East Africa by providing funding and technical assistance to help them scale sustainably. The initiative focuses on black-owned and led ventures, as well as those owned and led by women who can demonstrate positive impacts on smallholder producers, employees, and rural communities.
- Funding amount: $1-$3 million to early-stage businesses, which must have been in operation for at least three years, have growth and significant impact potential, have a solid management team, and are earning over $1m in revenue.
Related post: Grants and Resources for Small Businesses in Kenya
GIZ AgriJobs4Youth Product Development & KEBS Certification Support
If you are operating an agri-food MSME in Kisumu County, consider applying for this programme, which supports farmers with product development and KEBS certification. The programme’s goal is to ensure improved product quality, compliance with standards, value addition, and increased performance of youth-led and youth-serving businesses. This programme’s support is only open to Kisumu-based MSMEs, who must be willing to take part in product development and KEBS certification support.
KCIC Cleantech Programme
The KCIC Cleantech Programme is the result of a partnership among the Kenya Climate Innovation Centre (KCIC), the Embassy of Switzerland in Kenya, SICPA, and Strathmore University.
The initiative is designed to invest in early-stage cleantech ventures committed to developing environmental solutions. It’s only open to students in higher learning institutions who must be in ideation stage 3 and be able to demonstrate how they are working to implement an environmental solution.
Whether you are looking to scale or turn your idea into a viable business venture, there are agricultural grants and resources and resources that can help you achieve your goals.
In the Mt.Kenya region I have about 7 acres with a permanent borehole water, electricity, and is some metres from the tarmacked road. I’d love to farm herbs, fruits, vegetables and livestock. The green houses set up is a great challenge. Who can help me through?
Thank you for sharing your plans. Your land and existing water and electricity connections are a good starting point for your farming project. We recommend contacting your local county agriculture office for guidance on farm planning, suitable crops, greenhouse establishment and available farmer-support programmes.
You can also explore the agricultural grants and funding programmes featured in this article to see if any align with your plans. If you need further assistance identifying relevant opportunities, please visit our Contact Us page and get in touch with us.
We are Mwewe Ranch and have a 20 acre land in Kitui Kenya fully fenced with permanent shallow well and 3 acre farm inside . We have started galla goats rearing project with 40 Galla doe goats already in the field which have already started getting kids. We want to expand the project to a tune of 200 goats and diversify to keeping improved kienyeji chickens for meet, Siwal and Boran bulls for fattening and growing animal feeds on the farmland but our limitation is funding. Can you help us get some boosting grants to meet our dreams and create more employment
Thank you for reaching out and sharing your project with us. We’ve responded to your enquiry via email with more information. Kindly check your inbox.
Hey am Kenyan youth and would like to start dairy farm can you help fund the project
Thank you for reaching out! While Grantshaven does not directly provide funding, we share funding opportunities and resources for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Kindly let us know which county you’re based in and your estimated startup budget so we can point you towards potentially relevant opportunities.